State Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy has directed the authorities concerned including Vizag Metro Rail and Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) to complete all pending technical evaluation works by January 2014 for the Metro Rail project.
Mr. Jawahar Reddy reviewed the progress of various projects and programmes at the VMRDA office at Siripuram Junction here on Saturday along with officials concerned including VMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner A. Mallikarjuna, AP Metro Rail Corporation Managing Director U.J.M. Rao and GVMC commissioner C.M. Saikanth Varma.
Mr. Rao said that the Metro Rail project will be developed in four parts. The first leg is from Vizag Steel Plant to Kommadi, Gurudwara Junction to Old Post Office (second), Thatichetlapalem to China Waltair (third), and Kommadi to Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport will be the fourth leg of the project. “The authorities concerned should start the metro rail project works at the earliest,” Mr. Rao said.
Earlier, the Chief Secretary enquired about the progress of various projects undertaken by the VMRDA and the GVMC.
The Chief Secretary was informed that the total jurisdiction of VMRDA in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh is 6836.15 square kilometres. A master plan has already been approved for a total area of 4380.67 square kilometres. A draft Master Plan for the balance area (2455.48 sq km) has to be prepared. The Chief Secretary then directed the officials to prepare the master plan draft for the balance area.
As the Centre has selected Visakhapatnam among the four cities for the pilot project along with Mumbai, Surat and Varanasi, the Chief Secretary directed the officials to make Visakhapatnam a special destination in the country with different theme projects and infrastructure facilities. The State government is also keen to develop the city on a priority basis, he said.
The Chief Secretary specifically mentioned some of the projects to be developed in the city. They are National History Museum, Signature Tower and Convention Centre at Kapuluppada, Water Park on the Vizag-Bheemili road, Science City on Kailasagiri Hills, Kalavani Indoor Stadium on the lines of Kalabharati in Hyderabad.
He also suggested to develop green cover and water bodies to avoid water problems and unhygienic environment in the city.
